The Story of our Health Message

Given by the Author of Truth

The fact that there was agreement in many points between Mrs. White’s writings on health and the teachings of certain pioneers in the health reform field opens the way for the skeptic to attempt to discredit her by asserting that the writings of those physicians and physiologists really constituted the source of her information, and that she blasphemously claimed to have received such as divine revelation. But the documentary evidence does not support such assertions. The information that came to her from the Author of truth was bound to be in agreement with such truths as had been discovered by others. SHM 84.3

She declares that not until after she had fully written out her views did she read the current writings of the doctors who were teaching advanced health principles. And she gives as the reason, “lest it should be said that I had received my light upon the subject of health from physicians and not from the Lord.” SHM 84.4

A similar claim to having received truth by divine inspiration was made by the Apostle Paul: “I certify you, brethren,” he wrote, “that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11, 12. SHM 85.1

The fact that there was perfect agreement between the gospel that Paul preached and that which was earlier taught by the apostles gave ample opportunity for his opponents to assert that he received from them the doctrines that he taught; for some of his contemporaries had taught the same things before he accepted them. It might have been pointed out that he had heard the impressive discourse of Stephen. But unless we are to brand the Apostle Paul as an impostor, we must believe him when he declared that he received the truths of Christianity “by revelation.” The truth of this claim is strengthened by Paul’s manifest insight into the vital truths of the gospel in advance of any presentation by others prior to his call to the ministry. SHM 85.2

Likewise, in the hundreds of pages written by Mrs. White on the subject of health, there is much more than a reproduction of the ideas of the health reformers then living. In some instances, indeed, she positively differed with them. Under divine guidance she took these revealed truths and wrought them into the warp and woof of the advent message as an aid to attaining that holiness of character to which those are called who expect to be translated at the coming of Jesus Christ. SHM 85.3